Key-controlled vending-machine.



1. ammo.

KEY CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27. 1914.

1,152,638 7 PatentedSept. 7,1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. B. HURD.

KEY CONTROLLED VENDING M NE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.2I, 9 4.

1,152,638. I PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. B. HURD.

KEY CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- Zh 1914.

1 152 638. PatentedSept. 7 1915.

9 5 $HEET$SHEET 3- h A I5 I A5 l W, 1L4? 2 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPHCONWMHXNFITONL D. c.

J. B. HURD.

KEY CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.27, 1914.

5 SHE HEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-,WASHINGTDN n c J. B. HURD.

KEY CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 27.1914.

1,152,638. Patents 0 1;. 7, 1915.

5 SH SHEET 5.

JUDSON B. I-IURD, OFWASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

KEY-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1914. Serial No. 814,846.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JUDsoN B. HURD, a citizenof the United States, residing in the city of Vashington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Key-Controlled Vending-Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it ap pertainsto make anduse the same.

The present invention relates to vending machines and has for its objectto provide a novel form of vending machine having key-controlledactuating mechanism.

The invention also contemplates the pro vision of a key adapted tocontrol the actuating mechanism'of the vending machine and havingassociated therewith, suitable indicating mechanism to register thenumber of actuations of the vending machine.

The vending machine is designed to receive and hold a plurality ofarticles which are successively released or vended when the machine isoperated by the key. Each actuation of the key releases one article, andsuch actuation of the key is registered on the key itself. By thismeans, it is possible to provide purchasers with articles without theneedof a salesman, and the usual selling system is improved in a numberof other respects, as will hereinafter appear.

The purchaser, upon entering theystore or other place where the vendingmachine might be located, is provided with one of the indicator keys, bythe use of which, he may obtain as many articles as desired from thevending machines, but each article obtained will be registered uponthekey. The attendant in charge may observe. the indicating means on thekey when the purchaser returns the same, and the purchaser may pay forthe articles obtained accordingly.

The vending machine is so constructed as to guard against fraud and thekey receiving mechanism is so designed as to necessitate the use of arelatively large key, prefer-' ably of the size of a walking cane. Thispreeludes the possibility of the key being lost and makes it practicallyimpossible for a purchaser to take one of the keys from the storewithout being noticed. Likewise, a false key cannot readily be broughtinto the store, nor can the key be readily imitated,

since the size thereof precludes the possibility of obtaining animpression of the key,

or otherwise copyingthe same, as would be possible with the use of a keyof the ordinary size.

The invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in whichPatentedSept. 7, 1915.

Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a dispensing or vending counterhaving there-' on a plurality of cabinetsin which the articles to be.vended are positioned. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of theconstructionshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one ofthe cabinets shown in Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection of one of the cabinets taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. .5is a broken detail View, partly in section, of a portion of thereleasing mechanism for controlling access to the cabinet with whichsuch releasing mechanism is associated. Fig. 6 is a .top plan view ofthe construction shown in Fig.

5. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the releasing lever associatedwith themechanism of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing theconstruction of certain p'ulley'mechanism situated in the'lower part ofthe cabinet. Fig. 9 is a transversebroken section taken on the line 99of Fig. 10.

Fig. 9 is a detail View showing the manner of inserting the key in itsproper position with respect to the locking mechanism. Fig. 10 is avertical section of thecounter taken on the line 10 'l0 of Fig. 2. Fig.11 isa detail elevation showing the construction of the guard .orclosure employed for automatically closing the opening through which thekey is inserted. F 12 is an elevation 4 of the complete indicator key.Fig. 13 is a vertical section showing the interior construction of oneextremity of the key. Fig. l-it is a transverse section of the key takenon line 14l14 of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the keytaken on line l515 of Fig. 13'.

Throughout the various views, similar reference characters refer tocorresponding parts. I p In the drawings, the numeral 1 lndlcates thecounter or other suitable support for a j plurality of vending ordispensing cabinets 2. Said cabinets are provided at their op'-- net.That side of the cabinetwhichis pref- .posite sides with transparentportions 3, and at one of the remainlng sides with a closure 4 to permltaccess to the interior 'ofthecabil erably opposite the closure l isprovided with a closure 5, which, as hereinafter shown, is controlled bythe releasing mechanism, which in turn is actuated by the indicator key.In. the present instance, the closure 5 consists of a curtain wound upona suitable roller 6 situated in the upper part of the cabinet. Anysuitable spring mechanism may be employed tending to maintain thecurtain in its rolled condition on the roller. Secured to the lower edgeof the curtain of each cabinet are flexible cords or the like 7, each ofwhich is wound upon a pulley 8, (Figs. 4 and 8) mounted upon a shaft 9,which in turn is mounted in the interior of the lower part of thecabinet by suitable brackets 10. A spring 11 is provided, which keepsthecords 7 and curtain 5 taut, but is not sufliciently strong to preventthe spring mechanism of the roller 6 from winding thecurtain thereonwhen the pulleys S are released by the mechanism hereinafter described.v

Each cabinet is provided with a series of shelves 12 upon which thearticles to be vended are positioned. hen the pulleys 8 are released,the curtain 5 is wound upon the roller 6 until the lower edge thereofrises a distance equal to the distance between the shelves, ashereinafter shown. Access is therefore permitted to a formerly closedcompartment of the cabinet each time the pulley 8 is released. Y

Figs. 5 to 11 inclusive illustrate the mechanism for releasing thepulleys 8, the specific construction of which is not important, but, asshown, consists of a pin 13 carried by and projecting laterally from theface of one of the pulleys 8. The pulleys 8 are nor mally held againstrotation by a slidable lever 14 mounted in a suitable bracket 15, andactuated by the pivoted link 16, to be hereinafter described. A spring17, preferably interconnecting the lever 14, and the bracket 15, tendsto hold the lever 14 in the position shown inFig. 5, in which the pin,

so that it will be engaged by the pin 13 when said pin returns to itsnormal position after a rotation of the pulley. Due to this arrangementand construction of parts, it will be seen that when the lever 14 ismoved to the left, in Fig. 5, by the link 16, the pin 13 will bereleased from the edge 18 and the pulley 8 will make a completerevolution, due to the fact that the curtain 5 is always tending to windupon the roller 6. If the lever 14 returns to its normal position beforethe pin 13 returns to its starting point, said pin will pass beneath thebridge 20 and will abut against the edge 18, in which position it willbe held until further released by an actuation of the lever 14. If,however, the lever 14 does not return to its normal position by the timethe pin 13 returns to its starting point, the pin Will contact with theedge 21 near the extreme end of the lever. As the lever approaches itsfinal normal position, however, the pin 13 will ride down the inclinedsurface 22, then pass beneath the bridge 20 into its normal position incontacting relation with the edge 18. The parts are so proportioned thatone revolution of the pulley 8 will permit the curtain 5 to rise asufficient distance to permit access to the next higher shelf 12. Thelink 16 is intended to be actuated by the indica-v tor key, but asit maysometimes be desirable to release .the curtain 5 by hand, a cord 23 orother suitable connection may be secured to the lever 14 or link 16, andrun to any suitable point from which it may be readily actuated. Whenthe curtain 5 is in its highest position and it is desired to refill thecabinet, the curtain may be lowered by hand and the spring 11 will windthe cords 7 upon the pulleys 8. Under these conditions, however, thepulleys 8 will rotate in a reverse direction, and to permit the pin 13to pass under the lever 14, the outer extremity of the lever is providedwith an inclined or cam surface 24, which permits the pin to pass by thelever in the reverse direction of rotation of the pulley, but will notpermit the'pin 13 to pass in the other direction of rotation, due to theedge 18 which projects into closer proximity with the face of the pulley8 than the edge opposite said edge 18. The pin 13, when passing beneaththe lever 14 during reverse rotation of the pulley, will tend to shiftthe lever laterally and to permit this, a certain amount of play ispermitted in the bracket 15, as indicated at 25, (Fig. 6). Anappropriate leaf-spring 26 tends to hold the lever 14 in the positionindicated in the drawings, but permits said lever to be shiftedlaterally by the passage of the pin 13 under the cam surface 24. In Fig.10, the pivoted link 16 is shown, preferably located interiorly of thecounter 1 and pivot-ally supported intermediate its ends by the bracket27. The lower extremity of the link 16 is connected to a longitudinallyslid able member 28 adapted to be directly actuated by the indicatorkey. It will be noted that when the member 28 is shifted longitudinally,the link 16 will be rocked about its pivot, thereby shifting thereleasing lever 14 to produce the results hereinbefore described.

The indicator key for actuating the ele ment 28? is shown in Figs. 12 to15, inclusive, and in the present form, consists of a tubular casing 28provided with a longitudinal slot or opening 29. Journaled in thecasing'28 is a threadedrod 3O carlyingatits lower extremity theactuating element 31 which operates directly upon. the locking.

mechanism. The upper end of therod- 30 is also. provided with anactuating; element 32 identical with. that shown at 31, but a suitablehandle 33 has been applied thereto.

and preferably secured in position by a screw 3-1. The tubular casing28. isprovided at each extremity with a projection 35 adapted to engagewith a partof the coun-- the casing; 28 be held againstrotation and.

the handle33 moved throughone revolution, the rod 30 will be turned.relatively to the casing, 28, and the sleeve 36, which.isheldagainstrotation-bythe projection 37 engaging in the slot 29, willmove. vertically a. certain distance, determined by the. pitch of thethreads'on the rod 30. The casing 28.i s-

suitably calibrated adjacent the slot. 29,.and'

a mark 38 providedon the projection 37 cooperates with the. calibrationson the casing to indicate the number of timesthe handle. 33 has beenrotated. The calibrations may be so chosen with respect tothe pitchofthe threads on. the rod 30 that one. rotation of. the handle 33 willcause the sleeve 36- to move adistance equal to. the. distance betweenthe calibrations of the casing,

In. order to prevent reverse. rotation of the rod 30 relative to thecasing; 28, the lat ter is provided with internal ratchet teeth 39, andthe lower part. of: the handle 33, which fits into the extremity of thecasing 28, is providedwithspring pawls 40, which engage with the teethv39. and permit. the handle and rod 30. carried. thereby to rotate onlyin. one direction. relative. to the. outer casing.

It is also preferable to render it. impossible to remove the handle 33from the casing 28 until the sleeve 36 has reached the. ex treme end ofthe casing. The interior opening' of the extremity of the handle 33 is,therefore, slightly enlarged, as shown at 41,

and to the interior surface of such opening are secured. leaf-springs42.v The free extremities of said springs tend to. press inwardly andengage under a shoulder 43 provided on the rod 30.1 It will be notedthat.

as the sleeve 36 reaches the extremity of'the casing 28, a. cam-likesurface 44 provided on said sleeve engages the springs 42 and; moves thesame outwardly to release the extremities thereof from the shoulder 43..In this position of the.springs,the screw. 34 maybe removed and thehandle 33 disconnected from the rod 30. As both ends of" the casing areidentical, and as the actuating elements 31' and 32 are identical, thehandle 33 may be applied to-either end of the rod 30, so that when thesleeve 36 reaches one extremity of the casing, thehandle 33 may beremoved and transferred to the opposite end and the'use of the-keycontinued withoutany re-setting of. the parts.

When a key as above described is. used with a vending machine of thepresent type, the counter 1 isprovided with vertical openings 45, Figs.2 and 9, running from the top of the counter to a lower-ledge 46. Thesaid ledge 46 is provided on its upper edge with a slot or guide-way 47in which the projection. 35. of. the-key-casing; is adapted to engage.The ledge 46 projects into the interior of the counter 1 and its innerend is inclined downwardly, as at4S, (Figs. 9 and 9 The extremity of theslidable rod 28 is slidably mounted inthe bracket 49, preferably securedtozthe-inner side of the front wall of the counter 1 and so positionedthat the key, when positionedas shown in Fig. 9,

may coiiperate with therod 28' to shift the 1- same. longitudinally,

Thev key is inserted by placing the lower extremity thereof adjacent thelower end of the opening 45 and resting the same onthe ledge 46. Bytilting the key bodily toward the operator, the projection 35 may bemade to engage in the slot 47, andthe key may then: be slid intopositionby bodily moving: the key toward the counter-'1. The slot 47 will directthe movement of the lower end of the key through the vertical opening 45in the counter; After the lower end of the key haspassed through saidopening in the counter, the keywill ride down the incline 48 into theposition shown in Fig. 9 The upper extremity of the key is then movedinwardly until the key assumes a vertical position entirely within. thecounter 1.

In order to prevent actuation of the releasing mechanism by unauthorizedpersons, a. closure is provided for the opening '45 in the form of amember 49 pivoted at its upper and lower ends to the top. and bottom ofthe counter, respectively, and running. substantially the whole lengthof the key opening. The member 49 is provided i with aprojecting portion50, which consti.

tutes a closure or shutter for the opening 45, as shown by dotted. linesin Fig. 9. The I lower part of the projection 50 is cut away, as at.5l,.to accommodate the inner end of the ledge 46. The rear edge ofthemember 49 is provided with a projection or tooth '52, which engages inacotiperati'ng opening 53 of the rod 28 when the member 49 is swungabout its pivot in the direction indicated by'the arrow in F 9.

WVhen the key is inserted, the actuating part or bit 31'.thereofisforced between the edge53of. the countenand the projection 50 ea of the member 49. Due to the cam action between the part 31 and theedges 53 and 54, and a twisting movement which may be imparted to thepart 31, the member 49 may be swung around its pivot in the direction ofthe arrow to uncover the opening 45. When the said opening 45 is soopened, the projection 52- engages in the opening 53 and prevents anylongitudinal movement of the rod 28 until the member 49 has returned toits normal closed position. The member 49 will be returned to its normalposition by means of the spring 54 after the key has assumed its finalposition entirely within the counter 1, because the key will then beclear of the projection 50 and will be accommodated by the interiorlyrecessed portion of the member 49, as best shown in Fig. 9. As theprojection 52 always engages in the recess 53 when the shutter is open,it is obvious that the actuating mechanism cannot be operated byunauthorized persons when the shutter is held open. If a key, similar tothat herein described, is not employed, the shutter will have to be heldopen during any attempts to actuate the rod 28. The machine can,therefore, not be operated, except by the use of a key substantiallylike that herein disclosed. After the key has been so positioned, theturning of the handle thereof will cause the actuating part 31 of thekey to engage with a suitable shoulder 55 provided on the rod 28, andsaid rod 28' will, therefore, be shifted longitudinally. It will benoted that a complete rotation of.

the element 31 is necessary before the key can be removed from itsactuating position, since after the part 31 has passed the shoulder 55,the direction of rotation of the key cannot be reversed. A suitablecut-out portion 56 is provided in the member 49 to permit of thecomplete rotation of the element 31, and a clearance 57 is provided inthe ledge 46 for the same purpose. After actuation of the releasingmechanism, the key may be removed by simply drawing the key toward theoperator, and the cam action between the same and the edge 50 of themember 49 will swing the latter in the direction of the arrow, therebyuncovering the open- 7 ing 45 and permitting the key to be bodilyremoved. The longitudinal movement of the rod 28' by the actuatingelement 31 of the key, swings the link 16 about its pivot, which in turnshifts the releasing lever 14 to permit the curtain 5 to rise, ashereinbefore described.

The indicator key, when used with a vending machine of the typedescribed, enables a purchaser to obtain the article or articles hedesires without the need of a salesman. The purchaser is provided "withone of the indicator keys by an attendant, who notes the indication ofthe key when delivered to the purchaser. The purchaser,

by using the key in the manner hereinbefore described, may obtain thearticles he desires, but as a complete rotation of the key is necessaryfor each article, and as each of such rotations is indicated on the bodyof the key, the key will indicate the number of articles the purchaserhas obtained. When the key is returned to the attendant, the number ofarticles purchased by the customer may be ascertained. The provision ofthe pawl and ratchet shown in Fig. 14 prevents reverse rotation of thehandle 33, and thereby eliminates the possibility of a customer runningthe sleeve 36 backward and causing the indicator to read less than itshould.

The use of a key constructed substantially as above described completelysolves the problem of vending articles without a sales- Many convenientand simple forms of apparatus have been devised to hold the articles onexhibition ready to be released to the customer, and the provision of asuitable key which releases one article at a time to the customer andregisters each sale is obviously advantageous. It is desirable, however,to so construct the actuating mechanism and the opening into whichthekey is inserted that a key of suflicient size is required to eliminatethe possibility of the key being lost in the salesroom, or thepossibility of it being taken from the room without attracting theattention of the attendant in charge. A large key has the advantage ofpermitting the calibrations to be easily read and of permitting theindicating mechanism to be'simply constructed so as to eliminate thepossibility of error.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a vending machine havingkey-controlled actuating means, and an elongated opening, of a key tocontrol said actuating means and having an elongated body portionadapted to be operatively positioned by lateral movement of the keythrough said opening.

2. A vending machine, comprising a counter, a cabinet associatedtherewith adapted to hold articles to be vended, means associated withsaid cabinet to successively release said articles, key-controlledactuating means for said last-named means, said counterhaving anelongated key opening, and a key adapted to be inserted through saidopening into its operative position.

3. A vending machine, comprising a counter, a cabinet associatedtherewith adapted to hold articles to be vended, means associated withsaid cabinet to successively release said articles, key-controlledactuatingmeans for said last-named means, said counter having anelongated key opening, and an elongated key adapted to be insertedlaterally through said opening into its operative position.

4:. A vending machine, comprising a container, a plurality of shelvespositioned therein adaptedto hold the articles to be vended, a curtainassociatedwith the eon 'tainer and normally. preventing access to saidshelves, actuating means adapted to move at each actuationthereof, thecurtain a predetermined amountto permit access to one of the shelves,anda key to control said actuating means. r L 1 J 5. A vending machine,comprising. keycontrolled mechanism for successively vending articles, acounter upon Which said mechanism 1s posltioned, said counter havingakey opening therein in wh ch a key may be inserted. i

6. A vending mach ne, comprising keycontrolled mechanism forsuccessively, vend-. lng articles, a base structure upon which,

said mechanism is supported, said'base structure having an elongated keyopening, for the purpose described. J

7. The combination With a vending machine having key-controlledactuating mechopening.

anism and an elongated key opening associatedtherewith, of an elongatedkey having a bitat one end tofcontrol the actuating mechanism, and ahandle at the other end accessible to the person actuating the machinewhen the key is positioned in said 8. Ina machine ofthe kinddescribed,the combination of key -contro'll'ed vending mechanism, a base structureupon which said mechanism is supported, and"having a key openingextending transversely across one side thereof, and a'key adapted to beoperatively positioned by moving the same.

said key-operated portion.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by .addressing the Washington, Di 0.

10. A key-controlled vending machine having a key-opening, a shutternormally closing said opening, andv means to'prevent actuation of thevending machine While the j shutter is open. p

11. A key-controlled vending machine having an elongated key openingthrough -Wl1lCl1 a key may be moved laterally, a shutter normallyclosing said opening but adapted to be opened during positioning of thekey ,and to close after the key is positioned, and means to preventactuation'of the vending machine while the shutter is open. a

, 12. The combination with a key-controlled named point, of a key havingone portion to control the actuatingmeans and a rela- '70 tively longbody portion adapted when the key is positioned in the key-receivingmeans to extend to the second-named point.

vending' machine, having actuating means controllable by a key at onepoint, and keyreceiving means permitting a key to be ac tuated ata pointremote from said first- V .18. The combination With a key-controlledvending'machine, of a reversible indicator key therefon. I

V 14. The combination With a key-controlled vending machine'adapted tohold a plurality of articles to be successively vended, of a keytherefor, and indicating mechanism as- SOClLtfid'Wlth the, key.

15. The combination w th a key-controlled vending machine having a keyope'ningrev 'quirmg the use of a relatively large key, of I an elongatedkey, andmdlcating mechanism p associated With the key.

16. A vending machine,-comprising .key-

controlledmechanism for successively vendng articles, a counter uponWh1chsa1d mechanism is positioned,- akey for actuating said mechanism aslong as one of the dimenfsions of said counter, the counter having a keyopening to receive-said key.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of a Witness. I

l Vitness FRANCIS S. MAG IRE.

'JUDSON Bi HURD. I

Commissioner of Patents,

